Mara Purl

A new series set in coastal California lured me into its depths this weekend. I spent an enjoyable, but sometimes unsettling two days reading What the Heart Knows by Mara Purl, a Milford-Haven novel. Mara Purl delves into the psyche of her characters with numerous paragraphs to reveal a character’s thoughts. I especially like that Mara provides a list of characters at the end of the book, and would appreciate if more authors followed this practice. The scenery swims around the characters in the words of Mara and through the eyes of Miranda Jones, an artist. Cattiness and deception flow from many of the women, and true friendship shimmers in the distance. Ruthlessness and aloofness gush from the men, who hide any hint of feeling. I see the characters on a disastrous journey with the ice berg hiding, but ready to plummet the individuals into chaos. Mara utilizes the scenery and nature in the story to provide a sense of calm and danger, as the reader wonders what has become of Christine Christian.… (mehr)

I'm a big fan of Mara Purl's writing and this latest book does not disappoint. Her ability to weave a travel guide into the lives of complex characters is amazing and keeps me awake until I get to the end. I got caught up in Meredith's life, then Sally jumps in with an equally intriguing story; then, of course, there is Samantha who comes with a lot of baggage. Each is equally interesting and are people I would very much like to meet. Then there is Christine's disappearance which is playing out in the background, but what I feel may bring these characters together in some unlikely way. Having lived in both small towns and Los Angeles, I admit I prefer the city, but I would visit Milford-Haven in a heartbeat and, who knows, I just might want to stay. I almost consider these characters my friends, so I am now eagerly awaiting the next in the Milford-Haven series
~ Linda Thompson, Host of TheAuthorsShow.com… (mehr)

Reading What the Heart Knows was a bit like taking a step back into time. I’d be reading along and think, “Why didn’t she use her cell phone?”, only to remember that not everyone had cell phones1990s. There are a lot of twists and turns in this story, which keep the reader interested and engaged. While Miranda is the primary character, there are so many other interesting people coming to life in almost every chapter, I found myself referring to Purl's cast of characters at the back of the book to determine who was who and where they fit. Purl writes in a serial-type style that signals the reader to watch for the next installment. I really enjoyed the descriptions of Miranda’s paintings, of the scenery in and around Milford-Haven, and of the lives of some very complex people. This is a series that I hope doesn’t end for a long time to come.
~ Linda Thompson, Host of TheAuthorsShow.com… (mehr)

The narrative in this novella is so real, the reader feels as though we are conversing with the protective, soon to be a daddy, sperm whale. The humans in this story were almost secondary compared to how engrossed I was with this family of whales. Mara Purl has a unique talent for describing a setting, the people, and everything it takes to set up a scene and follow it through. I can get lost in her writing – feeling as though I am participating in the story itself. Another great piece of work, Mara, and I look forward to becoming involved in the next of this series.
~ Linda Thompson, Host of TheAuthorsShow.com… (mehr)